Rabble Invasion

[Alliance Fanatic]

Recently some members of the forum who will remain nameless have started to employ certain strategies to silence people on this forum. Those people have threatened those who disagree with the idea that safe anal sex is being taught in classrooms, must be called a hate mongerer, and are nobetter than nazis. They have used such tactics as name calling, and try to agitate members to fight back against them. They have even tried to get the owner of this website, to charge people under C-250. They also do not counter argue people, only continue with the same BS. They are in love with Svend Robinson, and would probably kill anybody opposed to Svend Robinson.

This is no longer a place of free speech. I think that action must be taken against these certain individuals who abuse this forum of free speech, and want to create a 1984 type of forum, were thought speech is prevalent.

PS: Whatever happened to Neal, Sir Springer, Krusty Kidd, Gugsy, and Pellaken. Now their was a debate to be had.

[playfullfellow]

Some people will always take offence to views that differ from their own. Free speech is free speech and we are gradually losing our right to have an opinion that may not be politically correct or based on our religious beliefs. I do not believe is spreading hatred but I should be able to say whether I agree with something or not based on my personal beliefs. Just because a person does not agree does not automatically make them a hate mongerer.

[playfullfellow]

I should also state that most good debates should not end in name calling or threats just because there is a difference of opinion. Debates are supposed to allow everyones view points to be shown and then arguments presented as to why each view point is valid.

[Black Dog]

Free speech comes with certain responsibilites. Even this forum has set rules and guidelines that must be followed to ensure participation. If posters are unhappy with their treatment or feel other posters have viloated said rules and guidelines, all it takes is a PM to the administrators, and I'm sure they will consider the complaint.

HOWEVER...

Posters on this forum have a responisbility to back up their words with proof and to provide support their arguments (or at the very least, ensure said arguments are somewhat grounded in reality and based loosely on facts).

That means (for example) if you accuse people who disagree with you of being Nazis, pedophile-supporters or Osama bin Laden sympathizers, you had better back your words up. Otherwise, your arguments have no support and you lose any shred of personal credibility you might have.

To conclude: blindly hurling accusations of the worst kind without any evidence to back it up makes you a troll.

[CanadaRocks]

mmm.. there is a responsibility for the forum administrators to provide decorum, but we also have a personal obligation I feel.

Frankly folks can say whatever they wish regarding myself, or my views. It will in and of itself not prevent me from posting.

Sometimes I'll be right, sometimes I'll be wrong. No ones perfect. Same goes for the rest of you.

In short, I may disagree with what you are saying, but I certainly respect your right to say it, and will defend that to the best of my ability.

Something else, when someone begins name calling? Don't lose heart, instead take heart. They've ran out of options and facts and that all they have left is to name call or YELL AT YOU (heh)

So if you were chased off from voicing your opinion in this forum? Return to us please. We may not always agree with you, but provided that you are not promoting hatred, there is room here for all of us, and together we may find solutions that we'd have never found alone.

[August1991]

I posted some of these ideas earlier in another thread, before I realized there was a specific thread (important) on this issue.

IMHO, Alliance Fanatic has every right to say what he (she?) said. I often agreed with AF once I cut through the rhetorics. But I usually found AF expressed ideas in a vulgar manner. While I agree with free speech, that doesn't mean I have to tolerate vulgarity on my screen, in my home.

This open, public forum is also a "private" club. Regular participants can choose membership. I would vote for the broadest membership possible. As an Easterner, new to Internet forums, looking for Canadian political debate, I was lucky to find and I truly appreciate this forum.

I am worried that other potential newcomers would be frightened away by some posts and posters, but there's also the chance the newcomers won't participate because the forum appears too sanitized.

What should be the limits to individual freedom in a private club properly seeking new members because the club desires open civilized discussion?

Greg, you seem to do well.

[theWatcher]

I am confused by the posting rules on this board.

If I post a statistic I am admonished if I don't supply a quote.

If I post a quote I am admonished that I am violating copyright policy by displaying the quote.

I appreciate the fact that I am usually privately informed of breaking the rules (usually) but I have discarded more than a few replies because I don't know if I will return only to find private messages and/or public admonishments for my posts.

And some folks here seem more interested in putting down the posters more than discussing their ideas.

[August1991]

You are welcome to post, Watcher.

IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO WRITE MORE SILLY IDEAS, QUESTIONS OR MAKE MORE SERIOUS SPELLING MISTEAKS, OR GRAMMATICALS ERRORS than the postings here, on this site.

IOW, if you just say what you think, however crazy, weird, without anything to support you, don't worry. (PS, there is no better place to be completely foolish/stupid than the Internet. It's anonymous!)

I, for one, will support you. (Just be polite, and avoid insults, please.) But in fact, you won't need my support.

Small Hint: You will have more credibility, and others will read your words, if you first look for web sites on the Internet and provide a link (http:// button) to support your POV. But if you're lazy, or you don 't know what POV is, don't worry.

PS. POV = point of view and IOW = in other words.

[Greg]

I think the rules and guidelines are pretty clear on the issue of researching your post.

If you are stating a fact, be prepared to back it up with some official sources (websites, links etc).

The rules and guidelines are also very clear on what is a copyright voilation,

Copyright infringement is illegal on these forums.  Therefore, please do not post articles in their entirety.  When posting copyrighted material, please use the quote (QUOTE & (/QUOTE) feature to highlight the important parts of the article and provide a thorough summary for others.  You must also provide sufficient credit to the author and a link to the original article in your post.  If the article cannot be found online, then at the end of the post provide an appropriate cite using any of the available citing formats, MLA, APA, etc.  Find out more information on Fair Dealing in Canada

I have and never will admonished anyone for using a quote to back up their statements. I only remove posts that are either inflamatory and/or contain full copyrighted articles.

The rules also go into detail about your freedom of speech,

These forums are not a free-for-all discussion area. Maple Leaf Web operates these forums in the hopes that they will promote intelligent, honest and responsible discussion. If at any time the discussion cease to be "intelligent" and "responsible" then the discussion will be ended.

In my opinion, this is one of the few forums in Canada that has successfully avoided the sea of trolls and spammers that descend and destroy intelligent discussion. And only be enforcing these rules will we be able to preserve intellegant debate.

[Alliance Fanatic]

I think its more about people trying to make a person a criminal. "I hope C-250's in effect", on that forum they said they would charge me for believing that communities should not be forced to have gay pride parades.

[August1991]

In my opinion, this is one of the few forums in Canada that has successfully avoided the sea of trolls and spammers that descend and destroy intelligent discussion.

Thanks Greg. Your efforts appreciated.

[Michael Hardner]

Yes, thanks to Greg this is the best Canadian political forum. But it's up to all of us to keep the standard up.

[maplesyrup]

ditto for the two previous posts.

[idealisttotheend]

About AFs concerns about C-250... I think the operative difference is between being taught safe anal sex practices (which I must say was never taught where I went to school) and learning or using them. I don't think any sort of information should ever be feared and it is the person's choice on whether or not to make use of it or reject it as garbage. They should however be given that choice. Similarly members of a community may have a right to hold a gay pride parade but other members of that same community have the right simply not to participate in, watch or go anywhere near said parade. It's about living together.

I would be concerned however, if C-250 is interpreted by the judges to make it illegal for people to argue that gay sex is wrong. Gay sex was illegal (and considered a psychiatric illness) just 36 years ago and though I would never personally ever agree that the state does indeed have any place in the nation’s bedroom, it has to be legal to continue to discuss it and for people who disagree to be able to voice their concerns. Again I would not agree with that it should be, but I suppose it is not inconceivable that it be made illegal again.

[Goldie]

I also have to add that I love this forum and thank Greg for his efforts. It is an excellent outlet to debate and exchange ideas about this country.